General questions
How many scholarships will be awarded?
How much are scholarships for?
What are the criteria used in evaluating scholarship applications?
What is the likelihood that I will win a scholarship?
Where are the descriptions of the scholarships?

Who can apply
Are these scholarships only for attendance at FIU?
Can I apply if I am not yet a student at FIU?
Can I apply if I am planning to graduate from FIU in the Fall term?
Can I apply if I am planning to graduate from FIU next Spring or Summer term?

Getting to the application
How do I get to the application?
Where can I find my student ID (PantherID)?

Assembling my application
Do I have to print out the application form and submit it?
How do I attach my essay(s) to my application?
How do I attach my letters of recommendation (and any other forms that need to be signed)?
What is the difference between the SAVE and the SUBMIT buttons?
Where can I find a scanner?
Who can write a letter of reference for me?

GPA questions
What GPA will be used in evaluating my application?
What is the minimum GPA for applying for scholarships?
Why does my FIU GPA appear incorrect?

  General questions

How many scholarships will be awarded?
Approximately 100.

How much are scholarships for?
Between $500 and $3500. Most scholarships are for $500.

What are the criteria used in evaluating scholarship applications?
Read the specific application criteria for each scholarship. GPA is an important application criterion.

What is the likelihood that I would win a scholarship?
Last year, approximately 10% of scholarship applicants won scholarships. Most students who were awarded scholarships had high GPAs. Some scholarships, however, are exclusively or primarily for specific student populations (e.g., the children or employees of Coral Gables Hospital, Sedanos, or Sysco; graduates of Immaculata-LaSalle high school) and so fewer students are able to apply for these. Your chances of winning one of these scholarships, if you are eligible to apply for one, are much greater than for a general scholarship.

Where are the descriptions of the scholarships?
Here.

  Who can apply

Are these scholarships only for attendance at FIU?
Yes.

Can I apply for scholarships if I am not yet a student at FIU?
Yes. Incoming freshmen, transfer students, and graduate students can apply for most of the scholarships. Read the descriptions of the scholarships to see if you can apply.

Can I apply if I am planning to graduate from FIU in the Fall term?
Yes. If awarded a scholarship, you will receive the full amount in the Fall term.

Can I apply if I am planning to graduate from FIU next Spring or Summer term?
Yes. You will receive half of the scholarship in the Fall and half in the Spring term.

  Getting to the application

How do I get to the application?
The application is found online in your Panthersoft Student Center. Log onto http://My.FIU.edu . Click on Self Service, and proceed to the Student Center tab. Under Academics you will see a link that reads ‘Scholarship Application’. Click on this link to enter the application center.

Where can I find my student ID (PantherID)?
http://www.panthersoft.fiu.edu/s_studentfaq.asp

  Assembling my application

Do I have to print out the application form and submit it?
No. The application is completely online. You will apply through your student Panthersoft account. You will need to upload and save all required attachments (essays, letters of recommendation, etc.) with your application.

How do I attach my essay(s) to my application?
The online application form, at the top, has a button that reads ‘Attach essay.’ Save your essay as a Word file. Click on the ‘Attach essay’ button. Click on the ‘Browse’ button and search your computer for your essay. Click on the essay. Click ‘Upload.’ The essay will now be attached to your application.

How do I attach my letters of recommendation (and any other forms that need to be signed)?
Scan in your signed letters of recommendation using a scanner and save them, preferably as Adobe PDF files (though other file formats are allowable). Attach them where requested in the application. Some scholarship applications for undergraduates may require additional signed forms. If so, fill in these forms, have them signed, scan them in, and save scanned documents where indicated on the application.

What is the difference between the SAVE and the SUBMIT buttons?
There a HUGE difference between these buttons. Use the SAVE button to save your scholarship selections and any essays or other attachments that you have saved to your application. You can use the SAVE button multiple times. You can ONLY use the SUBMIT button ONCE—once you use it, your application will be frozen and you will not be able to make any changes or apply for any more scholarships. ONLY click on SUBMIT once you are completely sure that you are done with your application. Do not SUBMIT until you are completely done. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Where can I find a scanner?
There are scanners in most FIU computer labs, including PC 413. There currently are not scanners in PC 414.

Who can write a letter of reference for me?
Letters should be from professionals such as previous or former professors or employers. Letters from family and/or friends are not appropriate.

  GPA Questions

What GPA will be used in evaluating my application?

What is the minimum GPA for applying for scholarships?
The minimum GPA for applying for most scholarships is 3.0. Some scholarships have higher minimum GPAs, and three undergraduate scholarships require minimum GPAs of 2.5 or 2.75.

Why does my FIU GPA appear incorrect?
Students who started at FIU before 2004 and/or who are university employees may have their GPA reflected as 0.00 on the application. Scholarship evaluators are given corrected GPA information for these students.